Srila Prabhupada explains the meaning of Hera Panchami

Submitted by: Yasoda nandana Dasa

Saturday,July 9, 2016 [Los Angeles, California time zone]
Sunday, July 10, 2016 [Mayapura, West Bengal time zone ]

Srila Prabhupada explains the meaning of the festival of Hera Pancami

guṇḍicāte nṛtya-ante kaila jala-keli

herā-pañcamīte dekhila lakṣmī-devīra kelī

SYNONYMS

guṇḍicāte—in the neighborhood of the Guṇḍicā temple; nṛtya–ante—after dancing; kaila—performed; jala–keli—sporting in the water; herā–pañcamīte—on the day of Herā–pañcamī; dekhila—saw; lakṣmī–devīra—of the goddess of fortune; kelī—activities.

TRANSLATION

After dancing in the Guṇḍicā temple, the Lord sported in the water with His devotees, and on Herā–pañcamī day they all saw the activities of the goddess of fortune, Lakṣmīdevī.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – The Later Pastimes of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu : Madhya 1.145

kalya ‘herā-pañcamī‘ habe lakṣmīra vijaya

aiche utsava kara yena kabhu nāhi haya

SYNONYMS

kalya—tomorrow; herā–pañcamī—the function of Herā–pañcamī; habe—will be; lakṣmīra—of the goddess of fortune; vijaya—welcome; aiche—such; utsava—festival; kara—perform; yena—as; kabhu—at any time; nāhi haya—did not take place.

TRANSLATION

“Tomorrow will be the function of Herā–pañcamī or Lakṣmī–vijaya. Hold this festival in a way that it has never been held before.“

PURPORT

This Herā–pañcamī festival takes place five days after the Ratha–yātrā festival. Lord Jagannātha has left His wife, the goddess of fortune, and gone to Vṛndāvana, which is the Guṇḍicā temple. Due to separation from the Lord, the goddess of fortune decides to come to see the Lord at Guṇḍicā. The coming of the goddess of fortune to Guṇḍicā is celebrated by Herā–pañcamī. Sometimes this is misspelled as Harā–pañcamī the section known as ativāḍī. The word herā means “to see” and refers to the goddess of fortune going to see Lord Jagannātha. The word pañcamī means “the fifth day” and is used because this takes place on the fifth day of the moon.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Madhya-lila : Madhya 14: Performance of the Vrndavana Pastimes : Madhya 14.107 :

nīlācale āilā punaḥ bhakta-gaṇa-saṅge

dekhite utkaṇṭhā herā-pañcamīra raṅge

SYNONYMS

nīlācale—to Jagannātha Purī; āilā—returned; punaḥ—again; bhakta–gaṇa–saṅge—with His devotees; dekhite—to see; utkaṇṭhā—very eager; herā–pañcamīra raṅge—performance of the festival known as Herā–pañcamī.

TRANSLATION

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His personal devotees returned to Nīlācala with great eagerness to see the Herā–pañcamī festival.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Madhya-lila : Madhya 14: Performance of the Vrndavana Pastimes : Madhya 14.114

pūrvavat ratha-yātrā kaila daraśana

herā-pañcamī-yātrā dekhe lañā bhakta-gaṇa

SYNONYMS

pūrva–vat—as in the previous year; ratha–yātrā—the car festival; kaila daraśana—saw; herā–pañcamī–yātrā—the festival of Herā–pañcamī; dekhe—He sees; lañā bhakta–gaṇa—with all the devotees.

TRANSLATION

As in the previous year, the Lord, with all the devotees, saw the Ratha–yātrā festival and the Herā–pañcamī festival as well.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 1975 Edition : Cc. Madhya-lila : Madhya 16: The Lord’s Attempt to Go to Vrndavana : Madhya 16.54

The glories of Hera Pancami, also known as or Laksmi-vijaya, are described by Srila Prabhupada in his Bhaktivedanta Purports to Caitanya-caritamrta 14.107 and 133:

“The Hera-pancami festival takes place five days after the Ratha-yatra festival. Lord Jagannatha has left His wife, the goddess of fortune, and gone to Vrndavana, which is the Gundica temple. Due to separation from the Lord, the goddess of fortune decides to come to see the Lord at Gundica. The coming of the goddess of fortune to Gundica is celebrated as Hera-pancami. Sometimes this is misspelled as Hara-pancami among the ativadis. The word hera means “to see” and refers to the goddess of fortune going to see Lord Jagannatha. The word pancami means “the fifth day” and is used because this takes place on the fifth day of the moon.” (Madhya 14.107)

“When Lord Jagannatha starts His car festival, He gives assurance to the goddess of fortune that He will return the next day. When He does not return, the goddess of fortune, after waiting two or three days, begins to feel that her husband has neglected her. She naturally becomes quite angry. Gorgeously decorating herself and her associates, she comes out of the temple and stands before the main gate. All the principal servants of Lord Jagannatha are then arrested by her maidservants, brought before her and forced to fall down at her lotus feet.” (Madhya 14.133)